1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a paper storage apparatus disposed to the discharge section of a paper processing apparatus for collecting paper documents processed in the paper processing apparatus that handles documents for one or both of reading data from the documents and writing data to the documents. The invention also relates to a paper processing apparatus including this paper storage apparatus.
2. Description of Related Art
A paper tray for accumulating processed documents is generally disposed to the paper discharge section of printers and other types of paper processing apparatuses so that papers discharged substantially horizontally from the paper processing apparatus are stacked sequentially on the tray.
Paper processing apparatuses used to process relatively stiff paper documents such as checks, however, often convey and process the papers in a substantially vertical posture.
A paper storage apparatus that stacks and stores documents in such a vertical posture is generally configured as shown in FIG. 17. This paper storage apparatus 100 has a discharge roller pair 101 and a paper storage unit 102.
The discharge roller pair 101 includes a feed roller 101A and a pressure roller 101B, and is disposed to the paper discharge section of the paper processing apparatus. This discharge roller pair 101 holds paper S in a substantially vertical posture and conveys the paper S horizontally to the paper storage unit 102.
The paper storage unit 102 has a paper storage pocket 103 and a paper guide 104 diagonal to a paper transportation path L1. The paper storage pocket 103 is offset laterally to the paper transportation path L1 for stacking papers S in a substantially vertical posture. The paper guide 104 is disposed at an angle to the paper transportation path L1 for guiding the papers S into the paper storage pocket 103.
Paper S conveyed in a line through the paper transportation path L1 by the discharge roller pair 101 thus contacts the paper guide 104, is directed thereby into the paper storage pocket 103, and is thus stacked in the paper storage pocket 103.
A problem with this configuration is that when a folded or wrinkled paper is processed, the fixed paper guide 104 in line with the paper transportation path L1 may not be sufficient to ensure that the papers are stacked normally in the paper storage pocket 103. If multiple papers S are discharged in succession and the trailing edge of a first paper S intercedes in the path of the following paper S, the papers S may become entangled or jammed, or the papers S may not be stacked in the order processed. This is particularly a problem when the papers S are checks because checks often become folded or wrinkled during use and handling.